Overview

• On October 14, India’s food regulator ruled that only formulations meeting the World Health Organization standard may be marketed using the term Oral Rehydration Salts.
• The order instructs food businesses to remove the word from product names, including trademarks with prefixes or suffixes, and to comply with labeling and advertising rules under the Food Safety and Standards Act.
• WHO’s rehydration mix requires six teaspoons of sugar and half a teaspoon of salt in one litre of clean water, with glucose essential for sodium and water absorption.
• Doctors report that some electrolyte drinks sold as ORS or ORS-like lack glucose or contain excessive sugars and additives, with cases of children’s diarrhoea worsening as a result.
• The move builds on a 2022 directive that had allowed limited trademark use with a disclaimer, follows a campaign led by paediatrician Sivaranjani Santosh, and health experts urge buyers to choose WHO-approved sachets and check ingredient lists.